How do you think your toy collecting habits will change in the next year(s)?

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Basically, because of terrible distribution, horrible line management and ridiculously high costs, I'm down to one line. Honestly, after MOTUC ends I don't see myself continuing with the hobby. It's just not as fun as it used to be.

I think you've identified some big problems in the hobby and the industry that have really changed. I still love collecting MOTUC, DC direct Arkham figures, and such, but there is little out there that seems "new" and exciting. There are still impressive figures (I'm really excited about the second wave of Evil Dead figures- NECA still puts out some good stuff) but I just rarely see something that seems cool and fresh.

Back in the late 90's/ early 2000's, companies were always trying to push the envelope. Companies like Plan B, Palisades, Mezco, Resaurus, Toybiz, and even McFarlane always had something exciting out there. It used to seem like companies were trying to deliver the best and most exciting product they could. Now it feels like companies are trying to get away with as little as they possibly can. The last line that really thrilled me to find in toy stores was the G.I. Joe POC/ 30th anniversary figures, which jumped from 5.99 to around $10 in about a year. The only thing that reminds me of the late 90's early 2000's with companies trying to outdo eachother is the constant improvements in the 1/6th arena between Enterbay and Hot Toys.

Am I just nostalgic for a bygone era? Am I disappointed because the G.I. Joe Retaliation figures do almost nothing for me? Am I upset at far too many "fruitless" toy runs? Am I justifying my desires to buy older toys rather than new ones? Who knows?

This makes me question if Mattel should think twice about HOW dramatic they make the upcoming price raise- I think it may be a mistake to underestimate how well the TMNT Classics are going to sell with the same group of fans as MOTUC.

With the recent hikes of these toy manufactuers raising prices on action figures, I now only collect motuc, the occasional star wars figure when i feel it worthy to spend almost $10 for & i still cherry pick dcu figs (when i can find them!)

I used to have 3 subs for motuc & I used to pick up everty star wars figure and wouldn't have a second thought about buying something that was revamped from an line i used to collect as a kid.

I will probably only get the subs next year and the occasional star wars figure when I feel I really want it. other than the the sporatic buying will cease and desist.

MOTUC - I will be buying 2 x subscriptions until the end of the lineMarvel Universe - I will continue to cherry pick this line. We dont have them at retail so I have a seller on ebay with great prices to buy fromTMNT Classics - The 4 turtles are already preordered and I will buy any other figure released in this lineArmarauders - a new piloted mecha line from Don Figueroa

I have dropped GI Joe and Transformers Classics but that was pretty much because Hasbro managed to do it for me. Bandai, in their wisdom of not allowing e-tailers to sell to international customers, were responsible for me not even starting a Thundercats Classics collection. I did drop the 4 inch Thundercats after the first wave because they were just not worth paying ebay prices for.

I will jump on a Thundercats Classics line if Mattel pick up the license. In fact, I will jump on any "classics" line that is aimed at the adult collector and the nostalgia factor.

So to answer the question, the only reason my collecting habits will change is as a result of the companies who make them. If they make the things I want then I will be spending a lot of money. If they continue to disregard the adult/nostalgia collector community then my collecting remains where it is now

MOTUC - unless customer service does a 180 and starts listening to me, i'll end up dropping the line. it sucks too, because while i've got a lot of the characters i like, the line does surprise me with characters i was never interested in before (i.e. POP and NA stuff) or figures i didn't expect to see (like snake MAA or concept characters). i never got my KK and the only thing they do is send my issue to the "escalation team". even though i'm always told they will contact me in 5-7 business days, i end up having to ask what happened on the 8th or 9th day. and then they always tell me to check the USPS, even though i've been telling them the entire time that they don't have the item. i don't even blame matty for not getting the figure, as my local post office is notoriously incompetent. but between the post office and matty's lackluster customer service, i don't have have the time or patience to stick with the line.

marvel universe - i decided to start collecting these about a month ago after debating between starting with this line or getting back into marvel legends (which i haven't collected since the toy biz days). i have a lot of the older figures i was interested, but it looks like there are a dozen or so figures coming later this year that i'm going to keep an eye out for. these aren't terribly hard for me to find, so as long as the line keeps going, i'll keep collecting them.

lego - i don't stay on top of lego like i would other toy lines. that's equal parts cost and availability. there are a lot of cool sets that are too expensive for me to buy without thinking, but they aren't difficult to find if i ever decide that i will buy them. i typically stick with the city collection, but the new monster fighters theme is right up my alley. i've always stayed away from the licensed themes, but i did make an exception for superman vs. power armor lex and shelob attacks from the DC and LOTR themes. time will tell if i continue with either of those, but if i keep buying DC sets i know i'll get some marvel ones (especially if they make some more sets that aren't tied to movies).

TMNT - they aren't out yet, but i have a good feeling i'll get into the upcoming turtles figures. i don't plan on getting any of the classic toon turtles, but if i see some villains that look good i may change my mind. the toys for the new toon look pretty nice though. i'd at least like to get the four turtles and a shredder from that line.

misc - there isn't anything else i actively collect, but i do buy random toys without trying to collect a series or anything. i do occasionally pick up some import figures when i go to a comic convention. i know i want that samus aran figma, as well as the mega man and roll model kits by kotobukiya. depending on the price and how the figures look, i am interested in buying some of the battle beast minimates.

In the past month I've really changed attitudes and cut back. I'm collecting Monster High, the unofficial WST Transformers made by Heerotoysmaker, and may try to get those Retro Action Ghostbusters. That's about it. I'm skipping mild interest stuff, more or less turning away from anything Hasbro makes for various reasons and focusing on stuff I really want, not buying things "just because". Vintage stuff I'm passing on either because it's expensive or becoming brittle from age(though I may make an exception to my "no Hasbro" rule if I can get a G1 Ultra Magnus for cheap)

MOTUC - Likely the same as I've been collecting them. I can't really afford, or even want, all the characters. Next release I want is Frosta. So keep making the POP ladies, and I'll keep buying them. Except Scorpia. I'm not really interested in a Scorpia.

DC - I've got a very small collection of DC figures. Just Stephanie Brown, Cassandra Cain, and a Harley Quinn. I stopped reading comics when DC rebooted, so it's not likely I'll find anything more I want...

Star Wars - The same as usual. Every time I watch the movies I end up buying new toys.

Alice: The Madness Returns - Oh gods! If they bring out all the dresses in this line, I'm going broke.

Jem and the Holograms - They'll probably never make new Jem toys, but if they made them like MOTUC, I'd buy so many of them.

Originally Posted by vertigoink

This makes me question if Mattel should think twice about HOW dramatic they make the upcoming price raise- I think it may be a mistake to underestimate how well the TMNT Classics are going to sell with the same group of fans as MOTUC.

This is a great point. If MOTUC is going to cost me over $40 shipped, I'll probably be reduced to buying only Catra and Frosta variants.

Lego - Want to get a few more Monster Fighters sets - will skip the Haunted House and Ghost Train due to lack of space.

Sideshow/Hot Toys - I've got Bossk from SW ordered, so he'll be out last this year - ordering nothing else this year.

2013

I'll focus on filling in the holes of my vintage TMNT collection. Carry on collection the new TMNTs and I want to get the Lego Home One Star Wars set - been putting it off for a few years. I have Selina Kyle preordered from Hot Toys coming out in March.

When I thought I was out, they pull me back in... that's pretty much my situation.

I'll stick with MOTUC for the upcoming year, but I must confess that I'm not excited as I was on 2011. I'm still on the fence on CG since it would be extremely expensive for an international buyer. Also, I'm getting out of space.

I wanted to collect SW Vintage Collection but it is rather impossible to find some figures. I may put that effort in completing my G.I.Joe 25th Ann collection with 8 single figures and 4 two packs missing

There's always something from Batman or Superman that I'd like to get, so at least I'll try to get Mattel DCUC Huntress and DK Batman, if not something from what may come up for Movie Masters Man of Steel

I'm pretty done with G.I.Joe Arah. I quite bleed since I don't want to pay $100 for a Night Force Falcon or Tiger Force Blizzard, but those are figures that I'd like to get; among so many other Joes that I'm missing. Probably I'll focus on Desert Scorpion since it is still on an affordable range.

Otherwise, I do wish to lower my collection habits. I do like TMNT and some others, but I have some collections with blank spots on impossible items that I should focus on getting.

There are two major purchases I plan to make next year, Reissue Fortress Maximus and (hopefully) Castle Grayskull. Definitely going to need to set aside money for those. I have my MOTUC subscription next year but there are some figures I may decide to sell. I used to collect DC stuff but I sold off most of my collection this year and I have only been buying Bat related figures. I will probably buy less figures next year.

Fate rarely calls upon us at a moment of our choosing.--Optimus Prime ROTF